Comments made by Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter blaming NZTA for the failure of Auckland light rail are astonishing - the Government needs to take full responsibility for this debacle, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Light rail is Labour’s flagship election policy from 2017. Every key decision surrounding the project has been made by Cabinet and therefore its failure lays squarely with Ministers, including Ms Genter.

“It was the Government that took the Auckland light rail proposal off Auckland Transport and gave it to NZTA.

“It was the Government that then decided to investigate an unsolicited bid by a Canadian pension fund and the Super Fund.

“It was the Government that then decided, against advice, to compare the NZTA proposal to the Super Fund proposal, and not go to the wider market.

“Light rail was doomed from the start thanks to the Government which never made up its mind on what the project was for, never clarified its objectives and has gone against advice every step of the way.

“Light rail has become the new KiwiBuild – both flagship policies, both utter failures.

“It’s astonishing for Ms Genter to try to push the blame on to a Government agency. The Government needs to take full responsibility.”

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